This photo was tweeted by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on June 16, 2020 to exhibit "intercept training." (Photo credit: NORAD)
U.S. fighter jets on Saturday intercepted four Russian reconnaissance aircraft off the coast of Alaska, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
NORAD tweeted that U.S. F-22 fighter jets, supported by tanker planes and an early warning and control aircraft, intercepted four Russian Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Saturday.
"The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and at no time did they enter United States sovereign airspace," said NORAD.
According to NORAD, the Tu-142s came within 65 nautical miles south of the Alaskan Aleutian island chain and loitered in the ADIZ for nearly eight hours.
The interception came after NORAD fighter jets intercepted two Russian Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan ADIZ on late Wednesday.
NORAD forces this year have identified and intercepted Russian military aircraft on ten separate occasions when they have flown into the ADIZ, said NORAD Commander General Terrence O'Shaughnessy.
NORAD is a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.
